"Lifetime" Price Promise

[loobi]

How long is a lifetime? Until the item is remade, same design....slightly different weight and so very slightly different product code.

Twice this week I have spotted things I have bought and they have gone lower, so, of course I contact them to be told the item I bought was a different product code and therefore it doesnt apply.

Remember the snowflake silver dangly earrings in different gems? That design has been remade - and is now a new product code. Flourite beaded bracelet, one strand, graduating beads with a silver clasp? - that has been remade ....looks the same but oh so slightly different weight - new product code.

Twice to me, so it must be happening on a large scale...unless of course I am the only one tight enough to take them up on their offer of credits back - after all, those few pounds here and there can tot up if you buy lots of stuff.

Anyone else got thoughts here?

 

[Beading Belle]

Isn't the lifetime guarantee only for web buys? I haven't watched rocks for months (only flick now and again) so maybe its different now, but agree its just a pointless guarantee as they would always get away with a different code or different gem weight or size!

The price pledge (can't think what they call it now) is also a catch as you have to call within the next hour to claim the difference which is credited to your account. Now its ok if you watch them 24/7 but peeps who work miss out on this too!

I am sure someone will come and correct me if that is not the case.

 

[glitterbug]

I'm actually ok with how the price pledge works. I don't think it would be reasonable for it to apply when a design is remade and the weights of stones or metal are different as the cost to make the jewellery will vary with the price of the raw materials.
If I happen to be watching when something I have bought is sold for less then I have been pleased to get the money refunded to my account. If live help is slow then I email help and it has always been actioned for me. If I am not watching and so don't know if something sells for less then it isn't a problem and I am happy with the price I paid originally.
So - I treat it as a bonus if I am lucky enough to take advantage.

 

[loobi]

"I don't think it would be reasonable for it to apply when a design is remade and the weights of stones or metal are different as the cost to make the jewellery will vary with the price of the raw materials. "



I can agree with you on that point glitterbug to a certain degree ( struggling to apply a quote here from your comment so sorry if its all gone pear shaped)
Unfortunately the logic doesnt really apply here as the newly made item is slightly higher carat weight for a lower price. With our detail cards clearly noting that the weight is an average total gem weight, when taken across a large, for example beaded item, then the difference is presumably within the tolerance of the average, I still would suggest that the item made is the same. If they were to have tested a different necklace in the batch the carat weight may have matched exactly the previous batch and the advertised carat weight would have been the same. Silver weight cant really come into it in this case as the silver weight in a clasp is also so small. Unless of course the designs were deliberately re -made with a very slightly different carat weight ....... no, thats me being cynical again

Of course, we are not daft, we do realise that metal prices fluctuate but when a major selling point is the price pledge the ambiguity that can occur can only lead people to wonder and question

Besides - I may be mistaken but I understood that it was a policy not to remake designs - a claim that always seemed a little daft as, if something sells like hot cakes, then no business in their right mind would not remake it. Perhaps this claim only applied in the heady old days of web only rocks ....................ahhhh there I go dreaming of good old days again!!!!

Enough waffling - I just hate to see an opening made for people to misunderstand and feel aggrieved

 

[PJ.]

It would be interesting to get someone from The Bennett family to comment on this. I am sure knowing how good they are at looking after customers and how sad they are when someone has not been happy with their service, they will want to resolve this issue with you

 

[teddybear581]

"I don't think it would be reasonable for it to apply when a design is remade and the weights of stones or metal are different as the cost to make the jewellery will vary with the price of the raw materials. "



I can agree with you on that point glitterbug to a certain degree ( struggling to apply a quote here from your comment so sorry if its all gone pear shaped)
Unfortunately the logic doesnt really apply here as the newly made item is slightly higher carat weight for a lower price. With our detail cards clearly noting that the weight is an average total gem weight, when taken across a large, for example beaded item, then the difference is presumably within the tolerance of the average, I still would suggest that the item made is the same. If they were to have tested a different necklace in the batch the carat weight may have matched exactly the previous batch and the advertised carat weight would have been the same. Silver weight cant really come into it in this case as the silver weight in a clasp is also so small. Unless of course the designs were deliberately re -made with a very slightly different carat weight ....... no, thats me being cynical again

Of course, we are not daft, we do realise that metal prices fluctuate but when a major selling point is the price pledge the ambiguity that can occur can only lead people to wonder and question

Besides - I may be mistaken but I understood that it was a policy not to remake designs - a claim that always seemed a little daft as, if something sells like hot cakes, then no business in their right mind would not remake it. Perhaps this claim only applied in the heady old days of web only rocks ....................ahhhh there I go dreaming of good old days again!!!!

Enough waffling - I just hate to see an opening made for people to misunderstand and feel aggrieved

I totally agree.
I saw a pair of earing last night and tried to get the price pledge. It was not available coz the item code was different as the weight was not the same as mine.The carat weight of the diamonds was the same so it must have been the (small)weight of the silver:thinking:

 

[loobi]

thanks teddybear - was beginning to wonder if I had an over active or cynical imagination ...... I have had the same problem a couple of times. Shame no one from the rocks family is able/willing to help us out here and clarify

 

[Meeshoo]

This is not right. This is absolutely misleading.

I don't care if a design is remade, how on earth would the normal jewellery buyer joe public see the difference? 0.02ct more of gemstones, half a gram of metal? Sorry that just doesn't cut the mustard.

With this and their "lowest price" "never before closed this low" claims make this company appear exceptionally dodgy. There is absolutely NO need for this and I'm shocked that the Bennetts feel the need.

If you're going to have a price pledge - have one. If not, get rid of it.

If you're going to claim "this is the lowest price ...." blah blah blah - make sure it's accurate.

The lack of credibility is why Rocks and Co got flamed so often on this forum.

 

[Pinkpussycat]

It's all smoke and mirrors or plain deceit, depending how blunt you decide to be.

 

[stevebennett]

Hi all

the only way we can make a price pledge work properly is if it is the same item on the same code. We introduce over 80 new designs every day and some may be similar. The suggestion that we would deliberately make a new code to avoid pledges is not the case and to be quite honest we try and use the same codes wherever possible as it saves having to retake photos, re-write descriptions re set them up on the database etc.

The only reason you have to call within the hour is when Gems Tv had this scheme running the first time in 2004 - 2006, some people started emailing lists of codes and prices and in the end the price pledge had to stop.

We have reintroduced the price pledge with the one hour notification period and everyday have to credit lots of people, such is the way with genuine auctions the closing price will always fluctuate.

Anyway got to go now as i am looking after the four kids whilst Sarah launches her new collection on Gems TV



Regards

Steve

 

[loobi]

thanks for your reply steve - I could show you 2 examples of product and what i am sure are same product, diff codes.... where the carat weight is slightly on the stones. As you quote "atgw" on info when we are talking ,say a beaded item ,the variance must have a tolerance.... every bracelet cannot possibly have exactly the same tgw.... hence you list atgw. The difference in tgw is minimal from my item to new product and I believe the pp should have applied..... its a flourite beaded bracelet with silver clasp - please check it out - in my opinion your new item is same as old item.

As another thought - say for example the rings are now available in diff sizes - diff codes. All priced the same as we see they are in same auction...but if you bought same product previously as different sizes werent availbale does pp still apply

At the end of it all the difference in price may be minimal and I give up - its not worth the effort for a few pounds but as in all theses things - a promise is a promise

 

[loobi]

ooops forgot to say - the hour response is a fair one in my opinion

 

[diamondgirl]

thanks for your reply steve - I could show you 2 examples of product and what i am sure are same product, diff codes.... where the carat weight is slightly on the stones. As you quote "atgw" on info when we are talking ,say a beaded item ,the variance must have a tolerance.... every bracelet cannot possibly have exactly the same tgw.... hence you list atgw. The difference in tgw is minimal from my item to new product and I believe the pp should have applied..... its a flourite beaded bracelet with silver clasp - please check it out - in my opinion your new item is same as old item.

As another thought - say for example the rings are now available in diff sizes - diff codes. All priced the same as we see they are in same auction...but if you bought same product previously as different sizes werent availbale does pp still apply

At the end of it all the difference in price may be minimal and I give up - its not worth the effort for a few pounds but as in all theses things - a promise is a promise

I had the same thing ,same ring different size so different code,but they did honour my PP request.I have since had this with same design new code and been told they could not do it.Totally confused really.lol

 

[loobi]

I had the same thing ,same ring different size so different code,but they did honour my PP request.I have since had this with same design new code and been told they could not do it.Totally confused really.lol

Thanks for this DG - sometimes I wonder if I imagine things or and am barking up a very random tree - whilst I dont revel in your confusion, it comforts me that I am not alone in being perplexed by this!!!! - still not really convinced by Steves reply, i think they have changed product codes on same items - probably not intentionally but again a promise is a promise

 

[perdita]

You are not alone, Loobi!

Remember those 9ct yellow gold knot earrings - the ones with the 0.25cts of baguette cut diamonds? I bought a pair in December and then saw them being auctioned non stop on both Gems and Rocks a month or so ago - totally different item number but the very same earrings!

I watched and waited to see if I could claim a price pledge knowing that I would probably have a fight on my hands in view of the code number change. It never happened though as the price I got mine for was lower than any closing price on them since Rocks started broadcasting on Sky. I am willing to bet I would have been told there was some miniscule difference though if I had claimed a price pledge on them!

 

[Badlyworntoy]

I had the same with a sapphire/y.gold ring this week, bought in July, identical ring, small change in code. When I asked for PP, giving original code I had (I hadn't managed to catch all the new code, I logged in as it was finishing) was told it hadn't been auctioned, last time it was auctioned was in August, £2 cheaper than I paid and they would credit me with the differance !!!

 

[teddybear581]

You are not alone, Loobi!

Remember those 9ct yellow gold knot earrings - the ones with the 0.25cts of baguette cut diamonds? I bought a pair in December and then saw them being auctioned non stop on both Gems and Rocks a month or so ago - totally different item number but the very same earrings!

I watched and waited to see if I could claim a price pledge knowing that I would probably have a fight on my hands in view of the code number change. It never happened though as the price I got mine for was lower than any closing price on them since Rocks started broadcasting on Sky. I am willing to bet I would have been told there was some miniscule difference though if I had claimed a price pledge on them!

these are the same earrings (but in white gold) that I mentioned in my earlier post when I was told they were a different item from the one I had and therefore could not claim the PP.

 

[perdita]

these are the same earrings (but in white gold) that I mentioned in my earlier post when I was told they were a different item from the one I had and therefore could not claim the PP.

Why am I not surprised, teddybear?

 

[stevebennett]

This is what i love about this website!

We hadn't thought about the effect on price pledge when we auction a different ring size of the same design and wouldn't have known about it if you hadn't bought it to our attention.

When we introduced the different ring sizes last year, you can imagine how difficult it was trying to change all of our systems. Bin locations in the warehouse, stock control. Today it gets even more complicated because it has massive implications for the scheduling software and even more for the voice recognition system.

Were as last years system was a lot more complicated with all different sizes having unique references, our new system does have the rings all on the same code, therefore this will elevate the problem moving forward.

If anyone has experienced a case where their exact same ring of a different size has been sold for less, then simply email my PA Barry at rocks.tv and he will get it sorted for you.

Best wishes


Steve

PS. Have you had a look at our new www.ColouredRocks.com website where you can now request items for website auctions and some items you can now even directly requested for the TV!

 

[Rocchic]

I have not so far had a problem with price pledge despite seeing a different size ring on auction for cheaper - CS are also extremely good at finding the price pledge and checking if I have already claimed it which sometimes I have. Steve if you are reading this - yes the new auction requests are good but how do we know what they are going to fall to - and apparently we can only ever request an item once - well if it goes to a price we dont want to pay until the end of the month - whats the point of that? also the falling auctions appear to be a really unrealistic high price falling to somewhere between CR prices we are used to or higher - so its not really an auction as when presented which is probably good because I would spend too much - its more a lengthy 4 minute way to find out the item is CR price - pleas correct me someone if I am wrong.